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Posted by Kurt Noer on
May 5, 2017

Check out the Viking Ship Gokstadfæring on Display!

Interested to see a detailed replica of a Gokstadfæring? You can when you visit the Danish Canadian Museum in Alberta Canada! The Freydis Joanna Viking Ship and Naust is part of the museum’s permanent collection, just waiting to be discovered by visitors who love Viking history.

The exhibit tells a fascinating story. First off, a little bit about longships:

Longships were a vital part of the success of Viking expansion into remote territories. They were extremely competent at navigating open waters, with this group comprised largely of skilled craftsmen and sailors. As such, the Vikings easily and swiftly claimed control over both land and sea.

As you know, longships were long, narrow boats crafted from wood, featuring a cloth sail to catch the wind. With such a sleek design, they made perfect companions for Vikings who wanted to explore new areas and even go to battle with enemies in far-off places. They could effortlessly traverse angry waters because they were so large and were made of such sturdy materials. However, they couldn’t navigate the hard to reach places, for obvious reasons.

That’s where the Gokstadfæring came in. These smaller ships allowed the Vikings to more readily access out-of-the-way areas along the coastlines.

The Freydis Joanna Viking ship, a replica Gokstadfæring, is on display at the Danish Canadian Museum. It was donated by Karen and Kresten Sommer, and constructed at the Viking Ship Museum Boatyard in Roskilde, Denmark.

Prior to its display all over Canada, Freydis Joanna was christened and brought to Halifax initially. If you’ll be visiting Alberta Canada soon, don’t miss a chance to visit the Danish Canadian Museum. You’ll have fun exploring other exhibits in this amazing museum, which explores the rich history of Danish settlers in Canada more than 1,000 years ago. In Canada? Call them for hours and location at 403-728-0019.